Balthazar Thorne
Balthazar is an Abnormal Hero of Rosso's, a member of the Thorne Family and one of a very few archetypal Vampire (and other Nightbeast-type)-hunters in Rosso's. He is the middle brother to Damien Thorne and Renarde Thorne, younger than Damien and older than Renarde. He has a younger sister in an inventor named Vixene, and is the son of the current head of the clan, Adrian Thorne. (Vixene and Adrian are both NPCs.) He is the grandson of Salazar Thorne, an older-generation Vampire Hunter from Victorian times, who is now an Angel of Death. A few Out-of-Character notes: Balthazar is the continuation of a unique Vampire-Hunter style on the part of his creator. Major outside-media influences are the Belmonts (particularly Simon Belmont), Dark (of DNAngel fame), the entire Soul Eater anime/manga, Van Helsing (the recent film), Hellsing (the manga), and Berserk (also a manga). Basic Information Names, Titles, and Aliases Name: Balthazar Thorne Hunter Name: Ebon Talon Age Balthazar is nineteen, though he will never biologically age any further due to the Deal. His is a life of either eternal service or violent death. Orientation Balthazar is pansexual. Despite his upbringing he doesn't hold many prejudices. He also has a fascination with therianthropes, the extent of which he isn't aware of yet. Race Human (Homo Sapien) Physical Trait His mother Esmerelda left Balthazar and his little brother with bloodied-red hair and green eyes. His body is fit, though he stands somewhat shorter than is common for Thornes, at 5'10", and with a build more athletic than truly muscular. He usually wears blacks and browns, mostly leather, but when forced into diplomacy or important family gatherings he wears rather scholarly attire akin to what one would see on a college professor, preferring earthtones with small amounts of red. Personality Balthazar is quite cool-headed, intelligent, calculating, though at times a bit meek. He does, despite his nature, give the impression of laziness. His heart, however, is compassion, but being passed over for the Deathscythe placed a burden in his heart, and a feeling that he isn't worthy to call the shots. He tends to defer to his older brother, even when deep down at times he feels he should speak up or even stop him. Origins Moments before his birth, Balthazar felt himself sucked into a strange dream-world. Still a babe, he didn't quite understand what was going on. He only knew that the man in the black duster felt familiar and comforting, despite his frightening appearance. Following him on hands and knees, Balthazar was confronted with strange imagery... Glowing red lightning, burning embers of flame, the glint of steel, the smell of blood. He still followed the man in the black duster, though... Until something caught the corner of his eye. He crawled away, and heard the crow of a bird... And reached up, caressing black feathers curiously with his immature, spiritual fingers. Balthazar was then born, and the aura he held was one of intelligence and cunning. He was marked a Ravenchilde, and on his eighth birthday received a strange set of cryptic black tattoos, a kabbalah upon his flesh, the day before his training would begin. He and his older brother were set as training partners and sparring opponents... But when Damien was chosen to receive the Scythe, it set a crack in his heart, giving Balthazar a strange fragility... And so, in a strange manner, he became dependant upon his older brother... Much to Renarde's chagrin. Still, his mother's compassion left its mark on him. A mark that stayed even after he witnessed her death at the hands of an invading vampiric assassin who would have had the children's blood if he'd not been stopped by his first victim's self-sacrificial spell. Powers and Weapons * Cross Slayer - One of the signature weapons of the Thorne Family, the Cross Slayer is only capable of being used by Dealbound who have been gifted with a great measure of strength. It is a massive, cross-shaped firearm with a rotating grip and trigger which stores weaponry in the 'arms' of the cross (which also features foldaway blades), some manner of explosive or incendiary weapon in the cross's 'head', and some manner of automatic small arms in the 'leg' of the cross. It is also a great focus for any holy magic or rituals, and even with the arm's blades folded away can serve as an excellent bashing weapon. * Tonfa-Sword - On Balthazar's right arm is a sword that rests pressed against the back of his arm, and can be 'unfolded' into a forward position. This blade is laced with silver, blessed, and prayed over, and has a special interior reservoir for the delivery of Ravages and things toxic to creatures that go bump in the night. * Hunter's Bow - Often stored away inside the left arm of the Cross Slayer, the Hunter's Bow is a rapidfire crossbow which can be equipped with any manner of bolts. * Griselda - A rather massive silver revolver, blessed and reinforced against damage, this revolver is chambered for .50 Caliber rounds, a massive payload. It is still accurate to a very long distance thanks to its long, rifled barrel and the prayers cast over it. It is a six-shooter, and Balthazar carries several speed-loaders with him at all times, loaded with several different types of ammunition, from plain to silver to 'The Works.' * The Blaster - A custom-built 4-gauge (massive) pump-action shotgun, this weapon does massive damage against that which it's directed against. Loaded with custom-made ammunition for a guage of shotgun which has been rendered antique in the modern world, this weapon can fire regular or silver slugs, buckshot, and special buckshot shells loaded with sacred salts. * Blessed Equipment - Balthazar always carries flasks and grenades of holy water, silver crucifix-stakes equipped with special cores which respond to incantations, scrolls written upon with special prayers and incantations, and crucifix-shaped throwing-daggers. * Physical enhancements - The same power that keeps Balthazar alive in spite of the decaying nature of his powers is an energy which increases his physical abilities beyond normal mortal ability. He has a slow-acting form of regeneration that keeps him alive through wounds that would kill others. His brain and heart are fatal points, but even they can take more damage than a human could and recover fully from it. Any wounds will fully heal in a matter of hours to days, and any lost limbs will regenerate over a month or two. His system is also theoretically immune to any foreign substance or effect, as the entropic energies within him break down magical effects, toxins, chemicals, and so on with ease. This would also make his blood poisonous to vampires. He cannot be made into any form of undead. He is also faster, stronger, and more durable than most humans in general. * Ravenchilde abilities - Balthazar is capable of summoning Deathravens. These are ravenlike creatures with glowing red eyes whose beaks and talons sap away energy with each strike, making their victim feel tired and weak on top of tearing at their flesh. This ability is one all Thornes have, but Balthazar is a Ravenchilde - one whose affinity with the Deathravens is at their highest. He can summon more of them than other Thornes and give them enhanced ability and intelligence (as well as being able to cause them to explode violently), throw razor-sharp feather-projectiles from apparently nowhere, and can shift certain parts of his body to talons and claws which have an energy- and life-sapping effect. He is also able to sprout fully functional black-feathered wings. In addition, he can issue forth a raven's caw which will do sonic damage on top of destroying lingering magical and supernatural effects, and can transform his own body into that of a massive, anthropomorphic deathraven, which will further increase the strength of his other abilities. Each of these abilities is more powerful when fighting the undead, able to 'sever the chain' that allows them their half-life, though more powerful undead will still require more damage. Simple zombies and fledgeling vampires, however, can typically be destroyed with one or two strokes of his Ravenchilde abilities.